3. Japan's bond yields went negative as the BoJ fights
deflation. The central bank is purchasing assets in order to ease
Japan out of recession.
Reuters says: "The two-year JGBs traded at the yield of minus
0.005 percent JP2YTN=JBTC. Negative yield is an unusual, but not
uncommon occurrence - record-low interest rates in Europe, for
instance, have flipped bond investing on its head with Germany
and Switzerland seeing negative yields."
Japan's recovery is at risk as inflation came in at a new
low.

4. OPEC declined to cut oil production and the price of
oil remains in freefall,
we told you yesterday. The
Saudis are beggaring everyone in their war for share of the
US oil market. Non-oil producing countries are jumping for joy,
of course, as everything is getting cheaper.

6. Outbrain is filing for an IPO. The Israeli
adtech startup automates content recommendation on web sites. The
company is looking to raise $70-$100 million,
the Wall Street Journal reports.

7. Romanians became Britain's biggest new group of
immigrants and Prime Minister David Cameron wants to restrict
their benefits. Immigrants are streaming into the UK
because its economy is still growing, unlike those of Southern
Europe. Cameron would prevent new immigrants from receiving
benefits for four years after their arrival, the BBC
reports.

8. Egypt is expecting a wave of Muslim unrest.
Bloomberg reports: "With security forces in the midst of an
offensive against Islamist militants in the Sinai peninsula, an
ultraconservative group known as the Salafi Front has called for
a “Muslim youth uprising” after dawn prayers tomorrow. The
government today began deploying units in riot gear and backed by
armored vehicles, according to photos and video clips released by
the military spokesman and Interior Ministry."

9. The Bank of England will raise interest rates next
summer,
economists predict. BofE governor Mark Carney has been
threatening this for a while. (We'll believe it when we see it —
some parts of Europe are still in recession/deflation, dragging
on the UK economy.)

10. Uber is driving down the cost of taxi medallions in
New York. The evidence is anecdotal but it would appear
that the taxi app is having its intended effect of devaluing
local taxi monopoly/licensing cartels.
Read more in The New York Times.

And finally ...

A trailer for the new Star Wars film will be shown in
some cinemas this weekend. People are going to be lining
up to see it. It's Disney's first chapter in the franchise.